The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-05-13

chise. Now we are prepared To go FUR
ther than our contemporary has done and
assert that often poverty is not only de-
void of degradation but the clearest proof
of the highest honor among men and OF
the truest service to the country. 1t is
alleged that we have forgotten the fact
that "men whose public services have
brought credit and honor to the State
may tomorrow find themselves in a con-
dition of penury, but no one would con-
slider that Just law which would dis
franchise them while Intending their for
tunes"
We have not forgotten and we can
grant all that is thus claimed, and still
hold to our argument and adduce good
reason well founded on fact and justice
for our position
The Democratic editor of the Jackson
Vile Ne,rs will not deny that our Gov
eminent seeks 1.-The greatest good of the
greatest number"-neither will he dis
pute Pope's proposition that partial evil
may be universal good. We hope we
may also take it for granted that the alb
ject poverty of healthy man in this
land of freedom, when long continued,
would warrant the conclusion that such
a creature were unworthy of influence
in our Government. In this country
men are not bowed to the earth under
the weight of the sword, and any talent,
coupled with industry and frugality, is
sure of reward in the long run.
Now let us take the bill. 1t only pro-
vides that a man must pay one dollar
per annum to the support Of the common
school system before he can have a voice
in the taxation and government of others
and of himself. Can our critic realize
that any man capable of exercising a
beneficent influence on our laws or COM
munity could continue one month to be
disfranchised under the bill? If SO, his
imagination is more vivid than ours and
we recall no fact in support of such a
fancy.
Now we agree that the wealth of a
community can afford to educate the
rising generation as il shuts up the Grim
inal-merely as selfish precaution in
its own best interests. But we have
opened the doors of citizenship in this
country SD wide that the thrOnging mil
lions who pour in already threaten to
make bloodless conquest of the State
and wrest from us its rulership. The
native child must be taught for twenty
one years before he is equal to the duties
of his pOsition-in a short time the for
eigner, ignorant of our institu-
tions, language and customs, may
exercise a political influence equal to
that of the man who is fitted for his pub
lie duties by careful study, long expert
ence or special aptitude of habit and
bent of mind. Is this just? is it safe:
Has not the ignorant negro vote wrought
enough harm to the South? Shall we
now give like power to the newly ar
ist-the Chinaman or the ape? If so, had
we not better vacate and abandon the
idea that we can govern ourselves:
Again-the voter should be independ-
ent, absolutely free to express his views
and enforce his opinion by an intelligent
use of the ballot. This being true, the
constitutional pauper is as unfit to exer-
else the franchise as the lunatic. We
can be charitable to him-we must edu-
cate his children, and would not have il
otherwise. But the man who cannot
pay one dollar per annum towards the
education of his children is a creature
whose name would swell the purchased
majorities at the ballot box from which
our darkest danger in the past will come
Agarn-the prerequisite Bill would
furnish us a guarantee of good faith in
the voter and a safeguard against fraud
Florida is becoming filled with roam
ing class whose citizenship endangers
the welfare of city, county and State
Its purchased votes often hold the bal
ance of power in struggles for principle
which divide honest citizens, and its adj
vent introduces personal interest in
public affairs which the community i:
bled to repay. Pensacola has been I'M
poverished-Fernandina implored tn,
help of the State-Palatka suffered, anC
its open purchase in Jacksonville was {
matter of triumph to king Doodle,
who made loud beast of his shame. Ar,
these warnings enough? What better
shield can we uphold against this dan
ger than that presented by House Bill
No. 30?
What makes citizenship in this cOun
try a thing to- be desired? 1t is that W.
enjoy the highest earthly good-that o
selfgovernment it is the possession o.
the largest measure of freedom con
sistent with the general welfare /; it ii
the protection afforded by our law-th,
room given for intellectual and mora
growth-the benefit of good association
and the freedom from arbitrary rule
Yet to the eye of the world the value o
a thing is the price it will bring, and al
this is belittled by the fact that it cost.
nothing, entails no responsibility, anC
may be assumed or cast away as easily
as an old glove. Do we want paupers t.
govern us in a land where industry
and frugality is certain to destroy pauper
ism? Or do we want to enforce pauper
ism on a good citizen by compelling hin
tn accept a valuable consideration as
gift2 One of these horns of the dilemm,
our contemporary must take. and hi
candor will suggest to him satisfactor,
arguments to warn him of either.
The bill would compel the citizen t,
vote where he paid his taN-is there no
safety in this The bill would deny tn,
franchise to those who had n less inter
est than the value of one days work il
our Governments there any injustice
here: The sick man who could not &c
a dollar would soon starve-he is eithe